GPDP denies breach of privacy accusations from New Macau

The coordinator of the Office for Personal Data Protection (GPDP), Vasco Fong, has denied claims made by Macau’s pro-democracy group, the New Macau Association (ANM), that the bureau has been authorizing the police to access citizens’ personal data.
Mr Fong reiterated that there
was a misunderstanding follow- ing the release of GPDP’s latest report, through which the office confirmed that it had authorized PJ officers to request personal data on members of local associations from the Identification Services (DSI).
GPDP’s coordinator stressed that authorities are not collecting personal data on association members’ political affiliations or religion/beliefs. He explained that if authorization is granted to the Judiciary Police to obtain information on members of local associations, it is true that particular conclusions can be drawn upon inspection of such data.
“If someone is establishing a religious association, we can draw conclusions about that person’s religious convictions. Therefore we pointed out in the report that [authorities] that have access to that [association’s] database need to treat this information carefully,” he told reporters yesterday, on the sidelines of a seminar on data protection and credit cards.
He added that the PJ was not requesting access to information on all associations. “In an ongoing probe, when [authorities] are still gathering evidence, if they believe that they need to have access to specific information, they may have access to that data,” he explained, adding that the access to citizens’ personal data by authorities is then monitored and controlled to ensure that it is accessed for the purposes of the investigation.
Political activist and vice-president of the New Macau Association, Jason Chao, recently accused GPDP of “selling Macau people’s privacy to the police.”
GPDP said in its annual report that it authorized the Judiciary Police to collect information through the Identification Services on members of local associations, including their “views on the world’s state,” political convictions, political affiliations, trade union relations and religious beliefs.
GPDP reiterated that the PJ is only allowed access to citizens’ personal data under the current legal framework.
Mr Fong has acknowledged that Macau’s Personal Data Protection Law needs to be updated to meet current digital industry trends, particularly regarding credit card payment operations.
He believes that, in addition to reviewing Macau’s current data protection laws, there’s a need to promote the importance of protecting personal data.
The coordinator pointed out that the office is also looking to build closer relationships with other data protection authorities in neighboring regions, since trans-regional crimes involving breaches of data protection regulations are on the rise.
Mr Fong revealed last May that there are plans to restructure the office and turn it into a Commission for Privacy and Data Protection, to ensure that it is recognized as an independent entity by overseas organizations. He said that this is an ongoing process, and that they’re still waiting for an assessment from the government.